help with salifert mag test kit PLEASE

Its possible you got a bad kit. Also make sure you do not shake the vial as this will give you a false reading. When mixing you want to gently swirl the vial.

 

Definitely possible. I had looked at 4 different lfs until I finally found the one I currently have now. Well, The kit came without instructions (was told by lfs I could download them....which I did) and without the spoon for reagent #3 (actually there was a lil red spoon which looked very different, and much smaller than all the ones i seen online). I went back to the store and asked for one of the "their" blue spoons. I did get a major discount at only $18, but if im not testing correctly or getting a false reading, then whats the point of a discount, right. Now Im upset.

Question I do have with the "instructions" I located online is that there were multiple versions. Some called for 3ml of test water, others called for 2ml. Some called for 8, 6, or 4, drops of reagent #1. The kit I bought had the 2ml syringe for test water, I am assuming I have one of the newer kits, so I went with:

2ml test water
4 drops of reagent #1
1 scoop of reagent #2
1ml+ of reagent #3

Interesting...I did swirl, hopefully I didnt swirl too hard. I will make sure and "gently" swirl next time, just in case.

 

My "main" lfs does not, but I can go to another one who does im sure.

 

What kind of salt are you using, and how often are you doing water changes?

If you do more than 10 percent of your total water volume weekly or even bi weekly, it can make your mag shoot thru the roof.

 

I use D-D H2Ocean Pro+

This could be the problem. 1st off I just switched to this salt, was previously using coralife. I have been batteling a GHA problem, so I did a heavy series of water changes (did about 10-12 gallons every 3 days for about a week) to get rid of phosphates and nitrates. Also running GFO. I got nitrates and phosphates to 000. I waited about a week and did another 10 gallon water change (2 nights ago). My old schedule, with the other salt was about 10 gallons every 2 weeks (not religiously either). I am trying to be more routine and plan on doing 10 gallon changes weekly. Is this too much, too often?

Tank is 55 gallon with 20 gallon sump. I would guesstimate that total volume of water to around 50 gallons +/-

 

I am pretty sure you are just using the kit improperly. I will pm you the instructions in the a.m. I have never heard of a magnesium level that high caused by WC's unless you got a bad batch of salt.

 

PM sent. My kit has an expiration date of 04-2014 to give you an idea of how old the kit is.It came with the red spoon.;DGood luck.

 

+1, mine also came with a red spoon. Purchased from BRS.

 

Ok this is good, I believe I have the same kit with the same exp date. I will check when i get home from work. Thanks!

Thanks for the feed back!

Question about this lil red spoon.....mine is really small and is not attatched to a cap for the test tube vile like the older blue spoons were. And its round, unlike the older oval spoons. Is this what all of u have???

 

That's exactly what mine is like, same exp date too.